Closure structure for handbags and the like



I March 6, 1956 N 2,737,221

CLOSURE STRUCTURE FOR HANDBAGS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 21, 1953 INVENTOR. ZM/d AA OA United States Patent CLOSURE STRUCTURE FOR HANDBAGS AND THE LIKE Emil Knox, New York, 1.

Application January 21, 1953, Serial No. 332,167

1 Claim. (Cl. 150-44) This invention relates to closure structures and, more particularly, to closure means in particular for handbags and like receptacles.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide means affording a compact closure structure which is sturdy, durable, and easy to handle, inexpensive to manufacture, and applicable to a great many receptacles heretofore not equipped with any closure structures,

It is another object of the present invention to provide means ensuring automatic closing of the receptacle or handbag, and the employment of portions of the closure means as button or end elements to cooperate with buttonholes or perforations provided in the cover of the bag or receptacle.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide means conducive to the accommodation of springsupported chain means which, in one position of the closure means, may extend in substantially spiral-shaped fashion within the end elements of the closure structure.

These and other objects and advantages may be gathered from the ensuing specification and drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a handbag in which the closure structure is made in accordance with the invention, the bag being shown in closed condition;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1, with the bag in open condition and with the closure means in expanded position;

Fig. 3 shows one of the closure means of Fig. 2 on an enlarged scale and partly in section, the section being taken along the lines 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 shows an enlarged section view taken along the lines 4-4 of Fig. 3, and with the chain placed or stored within one of the end elements.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there is shown in Fig. l a receptacle body having gussets 13, a closure flap or cover 11 and a handle 12. Flap or cover 11 is buttoned down on closure elements 14, 15 of a closure structure about to be described. Flap or cover 11 has buttonholes or perforations 16, 17 adapted to be engaged by said elements 14, 15.

As can be more clearly seen from Fig. 3, the end elements 15, 15a form a closure device, each element consisting of a housing 18 closable by an end cover 19, whereby the end cover partly projects over housing 18 and is secured thereto at 20 in any suitable manner. Housing 18 has an opening or perforation 21 through which a chain 22 may be extended. This chain 22 is surrounded by a spring 23 in one position of the chain 22, whereby one end 2311 of the spring 23 abuts against the perforated end wall 24 of the housing 18 while the other end of the spring 23b abuts against a holder or ring member 25.

As can be further seen from Fig. 4, when a substantial portion of the chain 22 is withdrawn or retracted into the hollow housing 18, chain 22 assumes a substantially spiralshaped configuration and is surrounded and controlled by spring 23. End 23b of the spring always abuts ring member 25, as illustrated.

If in housing 15a the same construction is contained as in housing 15, it will be readily understood that the closure structure 26 just described comprises the end elements 15, 15a, chain 22, end springs 23, and ring members 25 and will automatically assume a position in which end members 15, 15a approach each other at housing parts of reduced diameter 24 and 24a while a respective portion of the chain 22 is housed within the interior of each end element 15, 15a.

Thus, it will be readily understood that the closure structure 26 is expansible upon pulling action exerted on either of the end elements 15 or 15a relative to the other end element. As can be seen from Fig. 2, handbag 10 is provided with a number of folds or pleats 13 which have perforations at 13a in order to form a passage for the chain 22 when the closure 26 is in expanded or substantially contracted position (Fig. 1). It will further be readily understood from the showing of Fig. 2 that only one of the closure elements 14 or 15 may be pulled in order to obtain access to the interior 11a of the bag, upon unbottoning flap or cover 11 from end elements 14, 15.

If a type of bag 10 was not heretofore equipped with closure means of the kind herein described, all that has to be done is to perforate the side walls of the receptacle and/or the end walls 10a, 10b thereof in order to receive therein the closure structure 26, as shown. The end members 15a and 14a (the latter being not shown in the drawings) may then be employed to button on closure flap 11 if so desired and in a manner as herein referred to with respect to buttonholes 16 and 17 and end members 14 and 15.

As can be seen from Fig. 3 of the drawing, the instant invention is readily adaptable for several uses.

It is to be noted that the shape or configuration of housing 18 of elements 15, 15a at 24 and 24a, respectively, is so designed that ends 24, 24a may be wedged and seated in the respective adjacent openings 13a of the bag, as illustrated in Fig. 1, whereby only the end covers or walls 19 protrude beyond the body of the bag 10.

Although the invention has been described and shown in the drawing, it should be noted that the invention may be realized in modified form and adaptations of the arrangements heren disclosed may be made as may readily occur to persons skilled in the art without constituting a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the objects and in the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

A ladys handbag comprising in combination, a body having perforated side and perforated end walls, two pairs of spring-urged closure means, each pair of said closure means being provided with a pair of end elements and further with a chain extending therebetween and passing through the perforations of said side walls, said end elements being located without said end walls of said body and being provided with reduced parts conformed to and projecting into the perforations of said end walls for normally seating said end elements therein in closed condition of said body, and a cover for said body and having perforations, said end elements being threaded through said perforations of said cover to maintain the latter on said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 380,416 Ames Apr. 3, 1888 554,574 Bennett Feb. 11, 1896 731,378 Luther June 16, 1903 1,507,568 Bacon Sept. 9, 1924 1,607,468 Laughton et a1. Nov. 16, 1926 1,983,235 Laughton Dec. 4, 1934 2,563,616 Perino Aug. 7, 1951 

